Remote control for vending machines and the like



Nov. 1,, 1949. F. s. WRIGHT 2,486,698

REMOTE CONTROL FOR VENDING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 8, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l Eigzi i I! IN VEN TOR. Frederick .S I l/ri f; 7

BY 72W ATTORNEY Nov. 1, 1949.

F. S. WRIGHT REMOTE CONTROL FOR VENDING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 8. 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Frederick 5. h/ v'y/rf BY ATTORNEY I Patented Nov. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REMOTE CONTROL FOR VENDING MACHINES AND THE LIKE The present invention relates to improvements in a remote control for vending machines, and its principal object is to provide means whereby the operation of a vending machine is rendered subject to the control of the vendor, such as the Storekeeper, in such a manner that the purchaser deals directly with the vendor, pays him the money, and the vendor thereupon releases the machine for a vending operation.

In the use of vending machines, it has heretotore been the practice to render the same subject to coin-operation, the purchaser dropping a suitable coin and thereby setting in motion machinery for releasing a certain article of merchandise. In machines of this type the transaction is entirely impersonal, there is no contact between vendor and purchaser, and the vendor has no control over the transaction.

In the present invention it is proposed to establish a more personal link between the vendor and the purchaser and to place control over the vending machine into the hands of the vendor so that the purchaser has to contact the vendor, state the purchase or number of purchases he wants to make, and pay the required amount of money to the vendor, whereupon the latter, by operation of a remote control, releases the machine for the desired number of purchases. The customer then steps up to the machine and secures the desired articles in a number of individual operations by manipulation of a control member located at the machine.

Assuming, for instance, that the customer wants to make 10 purchases at 5 cents each, he goes to the Storekeeper, pays him 50 cents, and the Storekeeper then operates his remote control to release the machine for purchases.

The customer then advances to the machine and secures the 10 articles by manipulation of a second control at the machine in 10 different operations.

It is further proposed, in the present invention, to provide means. whereby after consummation of the desired number of transactions, the remote control is automatically actuated to bar further dispensing operations.

It is further contemplated to visibly indicate to both vendor and purchaser the number of transactions for which the machine has been released and the number of dispensing operations remaining available at any time during the use of the machine.

It is also proposed to arrange the remote control in such a manner that any desired number of purchases may be added at any time to a previously ordered and partially exhausted number of purchases, without requiring any re-setting of the remote control to zero position.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds, and

2 the novel features of my invention will be fully defined in the claims attached hereto.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a partly diagrammatic view of my control mechanism in side elevation,

Figure 2, a partial end view as seen from line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3, a section taken along line 3--3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4, a partial end View as seen from line 44 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5, a section taken along line 5-5 of Figure 1.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, I wish to have it understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims attached hereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It should be particularly understood that while I have explained my invention for use in connection with vending machines, the principles are equally applicable to any other apparatus previously known as coin-operated machines, such as amusement devices, the idea of the invention being to substitute remote control by the vendor for pure coin-operation.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the vending machine I is shown schematically as being operated by an electrical circuit comprising in its principal parts the line wires 2-3, the remote control switch 4 and the customer-operated switch 5. If the machine is used in connection with a store, it might be placed at any suitable point conveniently accessible to the customer, while the remote control switch would be preferably mounted behind the counter at a place convenient of access to the Storekeeper and vendor. The switch 5 is mounted at the machine.

The remote control switch 4 is here shown as a micro-switch operable by means of a lever 6, the far end of which carries a roller 1 adapted to roll on the surface of a cam wheel 8 having a notch 9 in which the roller rests in an initial cam position, with the micro-switch open. When the cam is turned by means of the shaft !0, to which it is fixed, it forces the roller out of the notch for closing the micro-switch, and the switch remains closed as the turning movement of the cam is continued through slightly less than 360 degrees.

For turning the cam and the shaft Ill, which may be mounted in bearings II, I use the arrangement shown in the upper half of Figure 1 and in Figure 2 and comprising a shaft l2 running parallel to shaft. Ill and supported in bearings [3. This second shaft has an operating wheel 14 mounted at one end thereof, the wheel having an annular series of holes l4 therein and being revolvable over a fixed dial I which has numerals appearing through the holes in the wheel when the latter is at rest. Any suitable scheme may be adopted to revolve the Wheel through a desired degree, with each number on the dial indicating one purchase.

In the present instance, the dial is shown as having a finger piece I6 projecting over the wheel and as having an annular series of numbers printed thereon, corresponding to the position of the holes in the wheel, beginning with 1 on the right side of the finger piece and ending with 20 on the other side of the finger piece. The wheel is equipped with a corresponding number of holes, with an additional hole taking up the space underneath the finger piece, so that in any position of the wheel 20 holes may be made to register with the 20 numbers on the dial.

The shaft I2 has an arm I? projecting from the far end thereof and has a sleeve I8 revolvable thereon near the arm. The sleeve has an escapement Wheel I9 mounted thereon, and the latter has a series of radial waves corresponding in number to that of the holes in the operating wheel I4. The arm II has a pair of escapement fingers suspended therefrom for engagement with opposite faces of the escapement wheel, the fingers being fixed with respect to one another, and one of the escapement fingers has an extension 2| projecting outwardly toward the axis of the shaft I2. The free end of the extension is connected to the arm II, near the axis of the shaft I2, by means of a spring 22 which normally urges the outer finger 20 of the escapement mechanism into one of the radial waves in the Wheel I9.

Opposite the free end of the extension 2I is mounted an electro-magnet 23 which forms part of the main electric circuit and which, when energized, pulls the outer finger 2!} out of the wave in the outer face of the wheel I9, allowing the latter to turn under the influence of spring ac-- tion to be described later and causing the inner finger 20 to enter the next wave on the inside of the wheel I9. When the electro-magnet is de-energized, the spring 22 pulls the extension II in the opposite direction, allowing the wheel to turn under spring action until the fingers 2i) come to rest in the next wave in the same position as shown.

Thus when the operating wheel I4 is turned through an angle comprising 10 numbers, the fixed arm I! with the escapement fingers turns the wheel I9 through the same angle, and for each energizing of the electro-magnet 23 the wheel is is turned in the opposite direction by the width of one wave, which corresponds to the spacing between any two holes on the operating wheel I4.

The sleeve I8 also has a pinion 24 fixed thereon, with the number of teeth of the pinion corresponding to the number of holes in the operating wheel. A large gear wheel mounted on the shaft I9 meshes with the pinion 24 so as to be rotated by the latter. This wheel may be called the accumulator wheel and has teeth thereon greatly in excess of the number of teeth on the pinion, possibly 20 times the number, these teeth being numbered consecutively and the numbers being arranged to cause the initial switch closing operation to bring the numeral I opposite a suitable indicating mark, shown at 26.

Since the wheel 3 is mounted on the same shaft with the accumulator wheel it turns with the same. A spring 21 having one end secured to a fixed support 28 and the other end to the shaft 4 I I], as at 29, is placed under tension when the wheel I4 is turned manually and is biased to return the gear wheel and the cam to an initial position under control of the escapement device. A suitable counter, not shown, may be attached for operation by the shaft III.

In operation of the device thus far described, if a customer desires to make 10 purchases at 5 cents each, he hands to the store owner 50 cents and the latter inserts a suitable tool, such as a pencil, through the hole in the operating wheel I4 over the numeral 10 and turns the wheel clockwise until the pencil reaches the finger stop I6. This causes the arm IT to turn the escapement wheel I9 and pinion 24 through the same angle and causes the pinion to revolve the gear wheel by the distance of 10 teeth, which again turns the cam wheel 8, closing the switch 4 on the initial movement of the first hole toward the finger piece I6 and retaining it closed as the spacing of the notch 9 from its original position increases. The remote control switch is now set for 10 purchases. For each individual purchase the customer presses the switch button 5 which causes the machine to operate. At the same time the escapement mechanism allows the gear wheel 25 and the cam wheel to stepwise return to the original position. The operating wheel I4 remains unaffected by this return movement. After 16 of the articles have been dispensed the roller I drops into the cam notch 9 and opens the microswitch 4, thus barring further purchases.

If a purchaser should desire to make more than 10 purchases at one time, say 40, for the price of $2.00, the storekeeper merely turns the wheel I4 twice, engaging it at the hole above 20, which will cause the accumulator wheel to rotate through an angle corresponding to 40 teeth, and which will keep the circuit closed, at the microswitch, for forty successive operations.

If, at any time, before exhausting the number of purchases previously made, the purchaser should decide to add to the number of purchases, the Storekeeper may add the desired number of new purchases to the unexhausted portion of the previous purchases by proper manipulation of the operating wheel I4.

In order to give the customer an opportunity to check against the storekeeper I provide a repeat mechanism for the main device at the machine and at a point within convenient view of the customer. This repeat mechanism Works on the same principle as the main mechanism and comprises a shaft I2 mounted in bearings I3 and having an arm II' mounted upon the outer end thereof, a sleeve I8 revolvable on the shaft and an escapement wheel I9 mounted on the sleeve for cooperation with the escapement fingers 20', the extension 2I', the spring 22 and the magnet 23, which latter forms a part of the main circuit, as shown.

The sleeve I8 also has the pinion 24' mounted thereon, the pinion meshing with the accumulator wheel 25' mounted on a shaft I0, which latter is supported in bearings II' and has a spring 2'! placed under tension as purchases are accumulated on the accumulator. The latter is numbered in the same manner as the accumulator wheel of the main device and all corresponding parts are identical in number of teeth and method of operation.

The shaft I2 is suitably connected to rotate with the shaft I2. The connection is here shown as comprising a ratchet wheel 30 fixed upon the shaft I2 and having a number of teeth corresponding to the number of holes in the operating wheel M. The teeth on the ratchet wheel operate a pawl 3| and the latter operates a switch 32, which forms part of a circuit including the wires 33-34 and a solenoid 35. Thus the solenoid circuit is closed once each time a ratchet tooth actuates the pawl. The plunger 36 of the solenoid operates an arm 31 (see Figure 4) pivoted as at 38 and the latter drives a ratchet wheel 39, through a pawl 40. This ratchet wheel has the same number of teeth as the ratchet wheel 36 on shaft l2 and is mounted on shaft l2 so that shafts l2 and I2 always rotate in the same direction through the same angle. The ratchet wheel 39 is held against return movement by an additional pawl 4|.

Thus the accumulator wheel 25', which is numbered and constructed in the same manner as accumulator wheel 25, moves through the same angle as the latter wheel in response to manipulation of the operating wheel M, gives the same reading, and stepwise returns to an initial position, indicating at all times the number of purchases still available to the customer.

In case it should be desired to cancel a purchase previously made and used only in part, the entire mechanism may be readily brought back to zero position upon release of pawl 3i holding the ratchet 30 and pawls 46 and 4| holding the ratchet wheel 39-. Simultaneous operation of the three pawls may be effected by any suitable means, as by solenoids subject to the control of a single switch.

I claim:

1. A remote control for vending machines or the like, comprising an electrical circuit connected to a source of energy and to the machine for operating the same, two switches in the circuit for rendering the machine active when both switches are closed, means for manually operating one of the switches, a movable member operable for closing the second switch on initial movement and for maintaining the switch closed while the movement is continued through a desired distance, means for biasing the member toward return movement, a revolvable shaft having an escapement wheel revolvable thereon, a driving connection between the escapement wheel and the said member, an arm on the shaft having escapement fingers cooperating with the escapement wheel in turning the latter with the shaft, an electro-magnet in the circuit and spring means cooperable with the electro-magnet in releasing the escapement wheel for return movement by one step upon the closing of the first switch.

2. A remote control for vending machines or the like, comprising an electrical circuit having a source of energy and being connected to the machine for operating the same, two switches in the circuit for rendering the machine active when both switches are closed, means for manually operating one of the switches, a rotary shaft having a cam thereon active on the second switch and shaped for closing the switch on an electro-magnet in the circuit, spring means cooperable with the electro-magnet in releasing the escapement wheel for return movement by one step upon the closing of the first switch, and spring means active on the first shaft biasing the cam and the escapement wheel toward return movement.

3. A remote control as defined in claim 2 in which the second shaft has a disc thereon for operating the shaft, with an annular series of perforations therein, and a stationary dial mounted with respect to the disc has an annular series of numbers observable through the perforations.

4. A remote control as defined in claim 2 in which the second shaft has a disc thereon for operating the shaft, with an annular series of perforations therein, and a stationary dial mounted with respect to the disc has an annular series of numbers observable through the perforations, and in which the escapement wheel has escapement steps corresponding to the numbers on the dial.

5. A remote control as defined in claim 2 in which the second shaft has a disc thereon for operating the shaft, with an annular series of perforations therein, and a stationary dial mounted with respect to the disc has an annular series of numbers observable through the perforations, and in which the escapement wheel has escapement steps corresponding to the numbers on the dial, while the gearing between the shafts includes an accumulator wheel having numbers thereon greatly in excess of the dial numbers.

6. A remote control as defined in claim 1, in which the revolvable shaft has a disc thereon for operating the shaft, with an annular series of perforations therein, and a stationary dial mounted with respect to the disc has an annular series of numbers observable through the perforations.

7. A remote control as defined in claim 1, in which the revolvable shaft has a disc thereon for operating the shaft, with an annular series of perforations therein, and a stationary dial mounted with respect to the disc has an annular series of numbers observable through the perforations, and in which the escapement wheel has escapement steps corresponding to the numbers on the dial.

8. A remote control as defined in claim 1, in which the revolvable shaft has a disc thereon for operating the shaft, with an annular series of perforations therein, and a stationary dial mounted with respect to the disc has an annular series of numbers observable through the perforations, and in which the escapement wheel has escapement steps corresponding to the numbers on the dial, while the gearing between the shafts includes an accumulator wheel having numbers thereon greatly in excess of the dial numbers.

FREDERICK S. WRIGHT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 437,859 Kelley et all Oct. 7, 1890 1,416,340 Dippel' May 16, 1922 2,069,180 Erbe Jan. 26, 1937 2,328,304 Sorensen Aug. 31, 1943 2,431,646 Kenney et al Nov. 25, 1947 

